WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 Welcome, welcome, welcome to the deep dive. That 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.259 burst of pure unadulterated cinematic energy 00:00:07.259 --> 00:00:10.080 you just heard. Oh, yeah. Unmistakable. That's 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:13.140 the unmistakable kinetic genius of Edgar Howard 00:00:13.140 --> 00:00:16.339 Wright calling to us. And today, you and I are 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:18.039 going to answer. I'm ready. It's going to be 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:20.410 fun. We're embarking on a deep dive into the 00:00:20.410 --> 00:00:22.550 world of an English filmmaker whose work isn't 00:00:22.550 --> 00:00:25.649 just instantly recognizable, it's like endlessly 00:00:25.649 --> 00:00:28.510 rewatchable, right? Always finding new things. 00:00:29.089 --> 00:00:31.030 Absolutely, layers upon layer. We've gathered 00:00:31.030 --> 00:00:34.109 a stack of sources, articles, interviews, lots 00:00:34.109 --> 00:00:36.469 of behind the scenes stuff. And our mission today 00:00:36.469 --> 00:00:38.630 is basically to extract the most important nuggets. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:41.299 You know, helping you understand how Edgar Wright 00:00:41.299 --> 00:00:45.100 carved out this unique, vibrant niche in cinema. 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:47.539 Yeah, figure out the how and why behind it all. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:50.100 Exactly. The fast -paced, the kinetic, the often 00:00:50.100 --> 00:00:52.799 hilarious creations will go from his early independent 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:54.960 shorts all the way to the big, acclaimed features. 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:56.920 And I think the core of his appeal, it's not 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:59.799 just the technical flashiness, is it? It's deeper. 00:00:59.899 --> 00:01:02.719 It's rooted in this real love for genre and this 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.620 amazing collaborative spirit he has. Totally. 00:01:05.939 --> 00:01:07.579 So we're going to trace his journey, look at 00:01:07.579 --> 00:01:10.680 the roots of his style, really get into his meticulous 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:13.120 approach, and figure out what makes an Edgar 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:15.319 Wright film stand out so much. It's going to 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:18.159 be quite a ride tracing that evolution. Absolutely. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:21.859 Get ready to go beyond just, you know, enjoying 00:01:21.859 --> 00:01:23.879 the films. You're in for a proper journey through 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:26.640 his filmography, a peek into his creative process, 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:29.599 and yeah, a deep dive into those details that 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:32.799 show the brilliant, obsessive mind behind it 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:35.000 all. Obsessive in the best way, though. Oh, definitely. 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:37.799 You'll leave today not just knowing his films, 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:40.659 but really understanding the craft. Hopefully, 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:42.519 you'll get a whole new appreciation for the guy 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:44.959 who keeps redefining what British film can be 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:47.040 on the world stage. Sounds like a plan. Where 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.200 do we start? Well, to really get Edgar right, 00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:50.980 we've got to start at the beginning, right? The 00:01:50.980 --> 00:01:54.579 genesis. Humble beginnings. Edgar Howard Wright, 00:01:54.680 --> 00:01:58.400 born April 18, 1974, Poole Dorsett. Grew up mostly 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:01.159 in Wells, Somerset, though. Right. Wells. That 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:03.840 comes up later, doesn't it? It does. And he has 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:06.299 an older brother, Oscar. who's an artist. So 00:02:06.299 --> 00:02:08.840 you can sort of picture this creative household, 00:02:09.580 --> 00:02:12.020 maybe, fostering imagination from day one. Yeah, 00:02:12.020 --> 00:02:13.840 you wonder how much that early environment played 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:15.639 a part. In his school years, the Blue School 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:19.659 in Wells, 1985 to 92, that clearly stuck with 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:21.599 him. How so? Well, there's actually a plaque 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:24.060 there honoring him and his drama teacher, Peter 00:02:24.060 --> 00:02:27.319 Wilde. And the cool part, Peter Wilde pops up 00:02:27.319 --> 00:02:31.219 later with a cameo in Hot Fuzz. No way. That's 00:02:31.219 --> 00:02:33.719 brilliant. It is. It's not just Like, a fun fact. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.400 It shows how he weaves these personal connections, 00:02:36.580 --> 00:02:38.780 these roots, right into his work. It's loyalty, 00:02:38.860 --> 00:02:40.879 isn't it? That's a great thread. And speaking 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:43.680 of early days, his amateur filmmaking adventures 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:46.080 are pretty legendary. Late 80s, early 90s, he 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.020 was already at it. Before he even had proper 00:02:48.020 --> 00:02:50.900 training. Exactly. Got a Super 8 camera as a 00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:54.060 gift. Then, talk about luck, he won a Video 8 00:02:54.060 --> 00:02:58.030 camcorder from the TV show going live. Wow. Going 00:02:58.030 --> 00:03:00.930 live, that's a blast from the past. Those weren't 00:03:00.930 --> 00:03:02.590 just toys though, were they? They were the tools 00:03:02.590 --> 00:03:04.949 that basically launched him. Absolutely. Imagine 00:03:04.949 --> 00:03:07.469 being a creative kid and suddenly getting video 00:03:07.469 --> 00:03:11.229 gear. The possibilities. And what's amazing is 00:03:11.229 --> 00:03:13.810 what he did with them straight away. These weren't 00:03:13.810 --> 00:03:16.669 just, you know, messing around. They were already 00:03:16.669 --> 00:03:19.750 comedic pastiches of popular genre. He did them 00:03:19.750 --> 00:03:22.400 back then. Yeah. As a teenager, he wasn't just 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:24.860 copying. He was playing with genre, subverting 00:03:24.860 --> 00:03:27.020 it, celebrating it. You see it in things like 00:03:27.020 --> 00:03:29.659 Carbolic Soap, his superhero thing, and Dead 00:03:29.659 --> 00:03:31.439 Right, the Dirty Harry tribute. And Dead Right 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.000 is on the Hot Fuzz DVD, isn't it? It is, which 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.000 is fantastic because it just shows how early 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.419 those seeds were planted. That understanding 00:03:39.419 --> 00:03:42.500 of cinema, that self -aware, genre -savvy approach, 00:03:43.180 --> 00:03:45.099 it was there from the start. He was doing the 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:47.039 Edgar Wright thing before it was even a thing. 00:03:47.219 --> 00:03:49.479 So laying the groundwork way back. But he did 00:03:49.479 --> 00:03:51.520 get some formal training, too. Bournemouth and 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.719 Poole College of Art and Design, 92 to 94, got 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.199 an ND in audiovisual design. And that clearly 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.780 meant something to him. Years later, 2018, Arts 00:04:00.780 --> 00:04:03.400 University Bournemouth gave him an honorary fellowship. 00:04:03.620 --> 00:04:06.020 He still talks fondly about his time there. It 00:04:06.020 --> 00:04:08.620 shows he valued those foundational skills. Definitely. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:10.620 But it's often those moments of inspiration, 00:04:10.860 --> 00:04:13.599 those cinematic epiphanies that really define 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:16.639 a filmmaker's path, isn't it? Absolutely. And 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:20.339 for Wright... A huge one was John Landis' An 00:04:20.339 --> 00:04:23.139 American Werewolf in London. He credits it with 00:04:23.139 --> 00:04:27.000 changing his life. Really? Why that film specifically? 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:29.360 Well, he's always talked about his dual fascination, 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:32.180 right? Horror and genre films on one hand, comedy 00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:34.199 on the other. And he said American Werewolf was 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:37.379 just so sophisticated in its tone and what it 00:04:37.379 --> 00:04:39.459 managed to achieve, it showed him you could blend 00:04:39.459 --> 00:04:42.899 horror and comedy seamlessly and do it brilliantly. 00:04:43.100 --> 00:04:45.939 That makes perfect sense. That blend is... his 00:04:45.939 --> 00:04:48.740 whole career, basically. Seeing it done so well 00:04:48.740 --> 00:04:50.920 must have been huge. Genuine scares, genuine 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:53.199 laughs, side by side. Precisely. And it wasn't 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.560 the only one. He also prints to Sam Raimi's Evil 00:04:55.560 --> 00:04:57.839 Dead Deaths. Oh, yeah. You can see that influence, 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:00.259 the energy. Totally. And the Conan Brothers, 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.759 Raising Arizona, again, you see that quirky character 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:04.600 stuff, the visual gags. It's like a blueprint 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:08.139 for his own style. Genre -bending, visually distinct, 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.360 kinetic storytelling. It's all there in those 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:12.579 influences. So he's got the passion, the influences, 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:15.000 a bit of training. How does he actually break 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.220 it? into the professional world. Well, his feature 00:05:17.220 --> 00:05:22.420 debut was A Fistful of Fingers in 1995, a low 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:25.600 budget indie spoof western. Sounds very Edgar 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:28.420 Wright. It does. And it actually got a limited 00:05:28.420 --> 00:05:30.639 cinema release and shown on Sky Movies, which 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:32.980 is pretty good for a first timer. But I read 00:05:32.980 --> 00:05:35.240 he wasn't exactly thrilled with the final result 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:38.100 himself. Yeah, apparently not, which isn't uncommon 00:05:38.100 --> 00:05:40.639 for artists looking back at early work, is it? 00:05:40.899 --> 00:05:43.279 But even if it wasn't perfect, it was vital. 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.879 a stepping stone. And crucially, it got noticed. 00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:50.199 By who? By comedians Matt Lucas and David Williams. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:53.100 And that connection led directly to his first 00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:56.000 proper directing gig for them on Paramount Comedy's 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:58.579 Mashin' Peas. Ah, OK. So that was the foot in 00:05:58.579 --> 00:06:01.160 the door. Exactly. Networking, getting professional 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:03.800 exposure, actually applying those skills in the 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:05.300 real world. That's where it started clicking. 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:07.120 And that opened more doors, right? He did more 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:09.589 TV work after that. He did. Started directing 00:06:09.589 --> 00:06:13.029 for the BBC stuff, like, is it Bill Bailey? Alexi 00:06:13.029 --> 00:06:15.610 sales merry -go -round? Sir Bernard's daily homes? 00:06:15.930 --> 00:06:18.050 You can see him honing his craft during this 00:06:18.050 --> 00:06:20.050 time, working with different styles, different 00:06:20.050 --> 00:06:22.290 people, learning the ropes of TV production. 00:06:22.810 --> 00:06:24.990 His real apprenticeship. Which all leads, I guess, 00:06:25.050 --> 00:06:28.589 to the big one. Spaced. Spaced, yeah. Seminal 00:06:28.589 --> 00:06:33.029 moment really in British TV. 1999, Simon Pegg 00:06:33.029 --> 00:06:34.870 and Jessica Hines, he'd worked with them before 00:06:34.870 --> 00:06:37.589 on Asylum back in 96. They specifically asked 00:06:37.589 --> 00:06:39.949 for him to direct their new Channel 4 sitcom. 00:06:40.209 --> 00:06:42.129 And this wasn't just another job, was it? This 00:06:42.129 --> 00:06:44.259 was the start of that... partnership. Absolutely. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:47.939 Peg, Heinz, Wright. And it completely redefined 00:06:47.939 --> 00:06:51.360 the sitcom look. Wright gave space to this, well, 00:06:51.699 --> 00:06:54.019 unusual look for the sitcom genre, as the sources 00:06:54.019 --> 00:06:55.939 say. Understatement. It was incredibly cinematic. 00:06:56.100 --> 00:06:57.920 Totally. He wasn't just, you know, pointing and 00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:59.740 shooting conversations. He was using dramatic 00:06:59.740 --> 00:07:02.459 camera angles, movement, stuff borrowed straight 00:07:02.459 --> 00:07:04.819 from sci -fi and horror films. Whip hands, quick 00:07:04.819 --> 00:07:07.899 cuts, dolly zooms. Yeah. Suddenly, a show about 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:10.699 two slackers felt like an action movie sometimes. 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:13.060 It just amplified the comedy, made everything 00:07:13.060 --> 00:07:16.879 feel so dynamic. And this is such a clear early 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.939 sign of his signature style. It shows his whole 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:22.540 philosophy towards genre. He wasn't hiding his 00:07:22.540 --> 00:07:24.379 influences, he was celebrating them. Remember 00:07:24.379 --> 00:07:27.220 the homage -o -meter? Oh, yeah, on the DVDs where 00:07:27.220 --> 00:07:28.899 it pointed out all the references. Brilliant. 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:30.639 Isn't it? It's like he's saying, yeah, I love 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:32.360 these films and here's where I'm tipping my hat. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.560 It makes the audience part of the game. It reframes 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:38.040 referencing not as copying, but as a dialogue 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:40.399 with film history. Such an important insight 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.160 for creators, you know, acknowledging influence 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:45.639 as part of creation. Totally. It turns watching 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:48.459 into a treasure hunt for film nerds. And he was 00:07:48.459 --> 00:07:50.819 so involved, wasn't he? He even popped up in 00:07:50.819 --> 00:07:54.519 cameos. He did. Sleeping in Daisy's squat in 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:57.420 space, some guy on the tube. And he was Eddie 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:00.079 York, the scientist in Look Around You with Peter 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.129 Sarafinovich. It shows how hands -on. He was 00:08:02.129 --> 00:08:05.050 part of the team. Exactly. Deeply immersed. Which 00:08:05.050 --> 00:08:07.750 brings us to the leap to the big screen, really. 00:08:07.870 --> 00:08:10.689 Spaced was this huge critical hit, cult following. 00:08:11.449 --> 00:08:13.649 It naturally led to him and Peg collaborating 00:08:13.649 --> 00:08:15.490 on a feature. And that feature was Shaun of the 00:08:15.490 --> 00:08:20.009 Dead, 2004. Game changer. Oh, absolutely. A Zom 00:08:20.009 --> 00:08:22.529 rom -com, as they called it. A zombie comedy 00:08:22.529 --> 00:08:25.430 that just perfectly mashed up that very British 00:08:25.430 --> 00:08:29.290 rom -com style with these loving homages to Romero 00:08:29.290 --> 00:08:33.399 to Romaini. It was just so funny. but also genuinely 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:36.600 tense at times. Yeah. And surprisingly heartfelt. 00:08:36.899 --> 00:08:39.460 It nailed that balance, and it was a huge success 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:42.460 critically and financially. What was really key, 00:08:42.460 --> 00:08:45.620 though, was how its very British sensibility, 00:08:45.940 --> 00:08:48.159 combined with its grounding in American genre 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:50.639 film, made it connect internationally. Right. 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:52.940 It wasn't just a quirky British comedy. It had 00:08:52.940 --> 00:08:55.440 that universal genre appeal. Think about that 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:58.080 Winchester scene. Smashing zombie heads with 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.000 pool cues. Time to queen. It's horrific. It's 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:03.799 hilarious. It's quarry. it's pure Edgar Wright. 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:06.200 It wasn't just blending genres, it was creating 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:08.159 a new language for them. And that language, that 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.139 formula, they refined it across the next couple 00:09:10.139 --> 00:09:12.559 of films, which became the Cornetto Trilogy. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.879 The legendary three flavors Cornetto Trilogy, 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:16.740 and the name itself is just perfect, isn't it? 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:18.860 Started as a joke. About the ice cream being 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:22.220 a hangover cure. Exactly. Appeared in Sean, then 00:09:22.220 --> 00:09:25.019 Hot Fuzz. Wright apparently joked it was their 00:09:25.019 --> 00:09:27.659 answer to Kisowski's Three Colors Trilogy. Just 00:09:27.659 --> 00:09:30.299 a joke that stuck. Love it. And weren't there 00:09:30.299 --> 00:09:33.450 other running gags? Like garden fences? Yeah, 00:09:33.610 --> 00:09:35.509 Cluck Collis pointed that out. The fence gag. 00:09:35.590 --> 00:09:38.029 It shows that meticulous detail weaving these 00:09:38.029 --> 00:09:39.970 little threads through the films. Because the 00:09:39.970 --> 00:09:42.110 connection isn't narrative, is it? No, not at 00:09:42.110 --> 00:09:44.990 all. It's thematic. Shared traits, motifs. Things 00:09:44.990 --> 00:09:47.049 like arrested development, friendship, leaving 00:09:47.049 --> 00:09:49.830 home. All seen through different genre filters. 00:09:50.049 --> 00:09:52.330 That's the genius of it. It's a spiritual trilogy, 00:09:52.389 --> 00:09:55.110 not a plot one. Full of inside jokes and visual 00:09:55.110 --> 00:09:58.350 gags. So, installment number two was Hot Fuzz 00:09:58.350 --> 00:10:01.990 2007. The comedy action thriller. Which, again, 00:10:02.370 --> 00:10:04.490 brilliantly sends up American buddy cop movies 00:10:04.490 --> 00:10:06.789 while also being a genuinely great action film. 00:10:07.090 --> 00:10:09.769 With Simon Pegg as Nicholas Angel, the super 00:10:09.769 --> 00:10:12.950 cop transferred to Sleepy Sanford. Where, naturally, 00:10:13.070 --> 00:10:15.870 things are not what they seem. Grizzly events 00:10:15.870 --> 00:10:18.549 start happening. Classic right setup. Production 00:10:18.549 --> 00:10:21.730 started in March 2006, released early 07. And 00:10:21.730 --> 00:10:23.450 around this time, didn't he also do that fake 00:10:23.450 --> 00:10:27.370 trailer for Grindhouse? He did. Don't. Absolutely 00:10:27.370 --> 00:10:29.990 brilliant. Just a montage of horror cliches, 00:10:30.210 --> 00:10:32.629 perfectly executed lines like, if you are thinking 00:10:32.629 --> 00:10:36.409 of going into this house, don't. Pure genre pastiche 00:10:36.409 --> 00:10:39.110 mastery, even in miniature. He just gets it. 00:10:39.370 --> 00:10:41.730 And then finally, to wrap up the trilogy. The 00:10:41.730 --> 00:10:45.580 world's end in 2013. The third flavor. This one 00:10:45.580 --> 00:10:48.320 gathers the old friends reuniting for that epic 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:50.820 pub crawl Gary King wants to repeat from 20 years 00:10:50.820 --> 00:10:52.980 ago. But of course it's not just a pub crawl. 00:10:53.299 --> 00:10:56.179 Never just a pub crawl with right. Unusual powers 00:10:56.179 --> 00:10:58.419 are at work and suddenly the fate of humanity 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:00.379 is hanging on these guys finishing their pints. 00:11:00.940 --> 00:11:03.139 The stakes escalate beautifully from personal 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:06.179 nostalgia to the sort of sci -fi apocalypse. 00:11:06.460 --> 00:11:08.659 It felt like a slightly more melancholic, maybe 00:11:08.659 --> 00:11:10.919 more mature end to the trilogy's themes, too. 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:12.820 I agree. It had a different feel. But together, 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:15.440 those three films, Sean, Fuzz, World's End, they're 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.220 just a masterclass. Genre blending, personal 00:11:18.220 --> 00:11:20.940 humor, meticulous craft. They cemented Wright, 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:23.620 Peg, and Frost as this incredible team and showed 00:11:23.620 --> 00:11:25.740 Wright could make niche ideas into global hits. 00:11:26.100 --> 00:11:28.940 So after the huge success of the Coronettos, 00:11:29.419 --> 00:11:31.399 where did he go next? That must have opened a 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:34.379 lot of doors. It did, and he went somewhere visually 00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:37.419 spectacular, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, in 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:40.539 2010. Based on Brian Lee O'Malley's graphic novel. 00:11:40.620 --> 00:11:43.600 Ah yes, such a different vibe. And much bigger 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.139 production, right? Oh yeah. The budget was huge, 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:49.289 over 85 million dollars. Compare that to Hot 00:11:49.289 --> 00:11:52.029 Fuzz's 8 million pounds. It was a massive leap. 00:11:52.429 --> 00:11:54.409 Shirt, he was ready for bigger canvases. But 00:11:54.409 --> 00:11:56.490 didn't it struggle a bit at the box office initially? 00:11:56.669 --> 00:11:58.690 It did, yeah. Took in about half its budget, 00:11:58.830 --> 00:12:01.809 roughly. But critically, it was loved, got praise 00:12:01.809 --> 00:12:04.350 from guys like Kevin Smith, Tarantino, Jason 00:12:04.350 --> 00:12:06.490 Reitman. Which is interesting, isn't it? Critical 00:12:06.490 --> 00:12:08.710 acclaim doesn't always equal instant box office 00:12:08.710 --> 00:12:11.039 gold. But it found its audience eventually. became 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:13.580 a real cult classic. Absolutely. That unique 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:16.259 visual style, blending, comics, video games, 00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:18.659 music. It was just so innovative. And Wright 00:12:18.659 --> 00:12:21.039 was all in. Co -wrote, co -produced, directed, 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:23.940 full authorial control, adapting that complex 00:12:23.940 --> 00:12:25.700 source material brilliantly. He really felt like 00:12:25.700 --> 00:12:29.340 a comic book come alive. Amazing. Then, 2011, 00:12:29.659 --> 00:12:32.179 he shifted gears again, co -writing The Adventures 00:12:32.179 --> 00:12:35.129 of Tintin. Right. With Joe Cornish and Steven 00:12:35.129 --> 00:12:37.909 Moffat, a totally different world classic European 00:12:37.909 --> 00:12:40.330 comics and directed by Spielberg, produced by 00:12:40.330 --> 00:12:42.970 Peter Jackson, huge names. And his buddies Peg 00:12:42.970 --> 00:12:45.690 and Frost were in it too. Of course. Shows that 00:12:45.690 --> 00:12:48.850 network again. But this period also brought, 00:12:48.850 --> 00:12:52.289 well, a major turning point, the whole Ant -Man 00:12:52.289 --> 00:12:55.840 situation. Ah, yeah. That was the saga. He'd 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:57.679 been developing it for Marvel with Joe Cornish 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:00.340 for years, right? It was 2006. He had. It was 00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:02.679 massively anticipated. Seemed like such a perfect 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:05.120 fit, right? Style, that quirky hero. And then, 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:09.460 bam! May 2014, the joint statement. Wright leaves 00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:11.700 the project. Creative differences. Big shock. 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:13.759 Huge. And it really makes you think, doesn't 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.830 it? For you, the listener. Yeah. How does a director 00:13:16.830 --> 00:13:19.250 with such a strong, distinct vision like Wright's 00:13:19.250 --> 00:13:21.409 fit into something as massive and interconnected 00:13:21.409 --> 00:13:23.970 as the Marvel Cinematic Universe? It's the auteur 00:13:23.970 --> 00:13:26.750 versus the machine, kind of. Exactly. And Wright 00:13:26.750 --> 00:13:28.850 himself explained it pretty diplomatically later. 00:13:28.929 --> 00:13:31.070 He said, basically, I wanted to make a Marvel 00:13:31.070 --> 00:13:33.049 movie, but I don't think they really wanted to 00:13:33.049 --> 00:13:35.830 make an Edgar Wright movie. He talked about having 00:13:35.830 --> 00:13:38.350 written his other films and how hard it is to 00:13:38.350 --> 00:13:40.929 suddenly become just a director for hire, feeling 00:13:40.929 --> 00:13:44.029 less emotionally invested. That's Beast Volumes, 00:13:44.169 --> 00:13:46.559 doesn't it? about artistic integrity, stepping 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:49.379 away rather than compromising his vision. It 00:13:49.379 --> 00:13:51.679 really does. And even though Peyton Reed took 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.399 over and McKay and Rudd rewrote the script, Wright 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:57.120 and Cornish still got screenplay, story, and 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:59.820 executive producer credits. Shows how much groundwork 00:13:59.820 --> 00:14:02.100 they've done. But yeah, definite crossroads for 00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:04.110 him. Probably pushed him towards wanting even 00:14:04.110 --> 00:14:06.350 more creative control on future projects. You'd 00:14:06.350 --> 00:14:08.450 think so. And almost immediately after leaving 00:14:08.450 --> 00:14:12.049 Ant -Man, July 2014, he announced his next film, 00:14:12.370 --> 00:14:14.750 Baby Driver. Which felt like exactly that. A 00:14:14.750 --> 00:14:17.309 fresh, original, purely right vision. He called 00:14:17.309 --> 00:14:19.529 it kind of like a musical, right? A collision 00:14:19.529 --> 00:14:22.210 of crime, action, music. And sound. It totally 00:14:22.210 --> 00:14:25.149 delivered on that. That ensemble cast Elgort, 00:14:25.470 --> 00:14:28.990 Spacey, Lily James, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx. Wow. 00:14:29.129 --> 00:14:31.830 And the way the action was synced to the music 00:14:31.830 --> 00:14:34.809 was just incredible. That opening chase. A master 00:14:34.809 --> 00:14:37.590 class. Every gear shift. Every gunshot. Perfectly 00:14:37.590 --> 00:14:40.049 timed to the track Baby's listening to. The music 00:14:40.049 --> 00:14:42.269 wasn't just a soundtrack. It was the engine of 00:14:42.269 --> 00:14:44.230 the narrative. A character trait. The whole rhythm 00:14:44.230 --> 00:14:47.269 of the film. Pure right. It proved his style. 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:50.460 His precision had a huge audience waiting for 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:53.519 it. Came out in 2017. Big hit. And then he surprised 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.440 everyone again, didn't he? Moved into the documentary. 00:14:55.659 --> 00:14:58.679 The Sparks Brothers announced in 2018, focusing 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:01.340 on that amazing, eccentric cult band, Sparks. 00:15:01.659 --> 00:15:03.940 Such a perfect fit, though. A band known for 00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:06.440 their theatricality, their unique sound. For 00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:09.059 a director so focused on rhythm and visual storytelling, 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:12.200 it made sense. He clearly has a deep passion 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:14.299 for music. And it showed he could apply that 00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:16.629 meticulous craft outside of fiction, too. It 00:15:16.629 --> 00:15:19.370 premiered at Sundance in 2021, showed real breath. 00:15:19.690 --> 00:15:22.250 Definitely. And then a return to his roots in 00:15:22.250 --> 00:15:25.870 a way. Horror. Last Night in Soho. Announced 00:15:25.870 --> 00:15:29.250 in 2019, a psychological horror thriller set 00:15:29.250 --> 00:15:32.269 in London. He mentioned inspirations like Don't 00:15:32.269 --> 00:15:35.049 Look Now, Repulsion, Proper Atmospheric Stuff. 00:15:35.269 --> 00:15:37.629 Starring Anya Taylor -Joy, Matt Smith, Thomas 00:15:37.629 --> 00:15:40.929 and Mackenzie. And crucially. Look who he worked 00:15:40.929 --> 00:15:44.110 with again. Ah, the collaborators. Christy Wilson 00:15:44.110 --> 00:15:46.830 -Karen's co -writing. And editor Paul Machlis, 00:15:46.889 --> 00:15:49.490 who's been with him since Scott Pilgrim, basically, 00:15:49.509 --> 00:15:52.350 even back to space. And the Baby Driver production 00:15:52.350 --> 00:15:54.750 designer, Marcus Rowland. That network again, 00:15:54.870 --> 00:15:56.950 that creative shorthand must be so important 00:15:56.950 --> 00:15:59.370 for his style. Absolutely essential, I'd say. 00:15:59.889 --> 00:16:04.149 Soho explored nostalgia, ambition, the dark side 00:16:04.149 --> 00:16:07.620 of swinging London. Really effective psychological 00:16:07.620 --> 00:16:10.320 horror, delayed by the pandemic, but a strong 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:12.659 return to the genre. And speaking of collaborators 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:15.379 and building things, 2020, he formed his own 00:16:15.379 --> 00:16:17.240 production company, didn't he? Complete fiction. 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:20.039 He did. With Neera Park, Joe Cornish, Rachel 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:23.090 Pryor, his long term team. This feels like a 00:16:23.090 --> 00:16:25.250 direct response maybe to that Ant -Man experience. 00:16:25.330 --> 00:16:27.710 The curing more control. Exactly. They signed 00:16:27.710 --> 00:16:29.929 a big deal with Netflix adapting things like 00:16:29.929 --> 00:16:31.870 Lockwood & Co, The Murders of Molly Southborne, 00:16:31.970 --> 00:16:33.809 The City of Brass, developing features of working 00:16:33.809 --> 00:16:36.529 title too. It shows him moving into being a major 00:16:36.529 --> 00:16:38.610 content creator, a producer, not just a director. 00:16:38.929 --> 00:16:41.210 Building the Edgar Wright extended universe, 00:16:41.210 --> 00:16:43.950 basically. And he's getting recognition beyond 00:16:43.950 --> 00:16:46.649 just filmmaking too. Appointed to the British 00:16:46.649 --> 00:16:48.850 Film Institute's Board of Governors in 2022. 00:16:49.049 --> 00:16:51.190 That's significant. Shows his standing in the 00:16:51.190 --> 00:16:53.870 industry as an advocate for cinema itself. And 00:16:53.870 --> 00:16:55.549 he's still involved with his past work, too, 00:16:55.710 --> 00:16:58.110 exec producing the Scott Pilgrim takes off anime 00:16:58.110 --> 00:17:00.690 for Netflix last year. Keeping that IP alive, 00:17:01.190 --> 00:17:03.990 exploring new mediums. Very smart. And looking 00:17:03.990 --> 00:17:07.549 ahead, the running man. Yeah, 2025, apparently. 00:17:08.109 --> 00:17:10.210 Directing the new adaptation of the Stephen King 00:17:10.210 --> 00:17:12.730 novel for Paramount, a remake of the 87 Arnie 00:17:12.730 --> 00:17:15.150 film, too. working with Michael Bacall again, 00:17:15.450 --> 00:17:17.890 aiming to reimagine the story. They've got Josh 00:17:17.890 --> 00:17:21.150 Brolin, Glenn Powell. Sounds exciting. It does. 00:17:21.170 --> 00:17:22.950 And it raises that interesting question for you, 00:17:22.990 --> 00:17:25.349 the listener. How will Wright's very specific 00:17:25.349 --> 00:17:27.849 style, the visual comedy, the editing, the genre 00:17:27.849 --> 00:17:30.470 -bending, translate to remaking a well -known 00:17:30.470 --> 00:17:33.390 dystopian story like The Running Man? What unique 00:17:33.390 --> 00:17:37.190 angle will he bring? Can he find satire? Maybe 00:17:37.190 --> 00:17:40.450 the original film missed. It'll be fascinating 00:17:40.450 --> 00:17:42.410 to see. Okay, so we've covered the career path. 00:17:42.609 --> 00:17:44.930 Let's really try and pin down that Edgar Wright 00:17:44.930 --> 00:17:48.210 style. What are the absolute core elements? For 00:17:48.210 --> 00:17:50.589 me, it's got to be that kinetic energy, the genre 00:17:50.589 --> 00:17:53.150 -bending satire, and the music. Always the music. 00:17:53.250 --> 00:17:55.640 Totally. But the key insight, I think, is how 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:58.400 those elements serve the story and the comedy. 00:17:59.019 --> 00:18:01.640 The fast editing, the whip pans, the wipes, the 00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:04.240 steadicam shots, the dolly zooms. They're not 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:07.180 just flashy. They are the visual comedy. They're 00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:09.319 the narrative drivers. Like that whip pan in 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:11.880 Sean from something mundane to a zombie. It's 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:14.650 a visual punchline. Exactly. It's the joke delivered 00:18:14.650 --> 00:18:17.190 visually or the emotion. It's his grammar. And 00:18:17.190 --> 00:18:19.109 that links right back to the Amadji meter idea, 00:18:19.150 --> 00:18:20.890 doesn't it? It's not just referencing. It's a 00:18:20.890 --> 00:18:24.170 deep love and active conversation with film history. 00:18:24.549 --> 00:18:26.390 Like when he curated those film series at the 00:18:26.390 --> 00:18:28.470 New Beverly. The right stuff. Yeah. He's inviting 00:18:28.470 --> 00:18:30.309 you in that conversation. It's his creativity 00:18:30.309 --> 00:18:32.829 builds on what came before. It's not unoriginal 00:18:32.829 --> 00:18:35.349 to reference. It's acknowledging the shoulders 00:18:35.349 --> 00:18:37.849 you stand on. It enriches the whole thing. Makes 00:18:37.849 --> 00:18:41.130 you appreciate the lineage. And that engagement 00:18:41.130 --> 00:18:44.029 extends to his collaborators. Obviously, Peg, 00:18:44.250 --> 00:18:49.049 Frost, Cornish, Machlis, Park, Pryor, this consistent 00:18:49.049 --> 00:18:51.650 team. Why is that so vital for him, do you think? 00:18:52.109 --> 00:18:54.789 For a director with such a detailed rhythmic 00:18:54.789 --> 00:18:57.849 vision, that shorthand is crucial. Imagine trying 00:18:57.849 --> 00:19:01.069 to explain every single cut, every sound cue, 00:19:01.369 --> 00:19:04.009 every camera move to a new team every time. With 00:19:04.009 --> 00:19:06.170 people who get his rhythm, his humor, his language, 00:19:06.450 --> 00:19:09.029 they can execute incredibly complex stuff like 00:19:09.029 --> 00:19:11.509 baby driver's action or the cornetto editing 00:19:11.509 --> 00:19:14.089 with precision. It builds trust, lets ideas flow. 00:19:14.150 --> 00:19:16.450 It's about cultivating that collective expertise. 00:19:16.690 --> 00:19:18.849 It feels like a family. And you see that warmth 00:19:18.849 --> 00:19:21.190 in the little personal touches too. We mentioned 00:19:21.190 --> 00:19:24.410 his drama. teacher in Hot Fuzz, but his mom and 00:19:24.410 --> 00:19:26.269 Simon Pegg's mom are in it too. Are they really? 00:19:26.309 --> 00:19:28.430 That's lovely. Yeah, it just weaves his life 00:19:28.430 --> 00:19:30.769 and art together, makes the films feel more intimate 00:19:30.769 --> 00:19:33.509 somehow. Even dating Anna Kendrick after meeting 00:19:33.509 --> 00:19:36.309 on Scott Pilgrim, it's all intertwined. And that 00:19:36.309 --> 00:19:39.710 unique mix, the craft, the personal touch, the 00:19:39.710 --> 00:19:42.509 collaboration, it's brought him a lot of recognition. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:46.799 BAFTA nominations for Spaced, Sean, awards for 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:49.880 Sean's screenplay, Empire Awards for Scott Pilgrim, 00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:52.700 the Oglethorpe Award for Baby Driver. It shows 00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:54.980 consistent appreciation across different genres, 00:19:55.180 --> 00:19:58.539 different roles. The industry values his unique 00:19:58.539 --> 00:20:00.980 vision. Deservedly so. So wrapping this up then, 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.759 Edgar Wright's journey from that kid with a Super 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:08.960 8 in Somerset to this global filmmaker. It's 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.980 pretty amazing. He's constantly pushed boundaries, 00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:14.440 genre, visuals, comedy timing. He proves you 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:17.460 can be deeply referential and wildly original 00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:19.819 simultaneously. Yeah. His films are both homage 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:22.500 and innovation. And his craft, his joy in playing 00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:24.700 with genre, it makes you, the viewer, more active. 00:20:24.779 --> 00:20:26.440 You're not just watching. You're participating 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:28.160 in that homage -o -meter. You're catching the 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.640 details. He shows artistry can absolutely thrive 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:33.220 in pop culture, finding depth and resonance in 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:35.420 genres others might dismiss. He makes you look 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.079 closer, listen harder. Definitely makes you appreciate 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:41.380 that dance between sound image story. So here's 00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:43.859 the final thought for you to chew on As you revisit 00:20:43.859 --> 00:20:45.940 Edgar Wright's films, or maybe discover them 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:48.500 for the first time, how does his meticulous craftsmanship, 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.680 his joyful embrace of genre, make you not just 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:55.079 watch, but truly engage? What unexpected details, 00:20:55.420 --> 00:20:57.779 what clever homages, what perfectly timed jokes 00:20:57.779 --> 00:21:00.420 will you spot next time? Go on, dive back in, 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:02.660 maybe re -watch a favorite with fresh eyes, or 00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:04.559 check out the films that influenced him. See 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:07.079 how his unique vision changes your viewing experience. 00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:09.660 We'll catch you next time on The Deep Dive.